Recipe: Almond Ricotta Cheesecake

Picture and recipe found here

Andrew brought home a whole bunch of ricotta cheese from work so I've been looking for recipes that use ricotta.  I found this one and made it last week.  It was easy to make, didn't involve many ingredients I didn't already have (which is always a plus), and tastes great!  The almond flavor is stronger than the cheesecake flavor because the ricotta is so mild, but I loved it.  I'll be making another one today so that I can use up the rest of my whipping cream and because you can never have enough cheesecake!

Almond Ricotta Cheesecake

Ingredients:

     Crust:

• 1 cup finely crushed graham crackers
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine

     Filling:

• 2 cups (15 oz.) ricotta cheese
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 and 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped blanched almonds (I left these out of mine.)

Directions:

1. Combine crust ingredients.  Press evenly over bottom and 1 and 1/2 inches up sides of an 8-inch springform pan.
2. Combine ricotta cheese, sugar, whipping cream, flour, salt, water and almond extract in large bowl of electric mixer; blend until smooth.  Add eggs one at a time; blend until smooth.  Stir in chopped almonds.  Pour into pan and bake in preheated 350 degree oven 1 hour or until set.
3. Cool in oven with door propped open 30 minutes.  Refrigerate 4 hours or longer before serving.